1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a projection panel assembly used for, for example, a front panel placed on the front side of a projection apparatus, to a projection apparatus having the projection panel assembly, and to a production method of the projection apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Projection apparatuses are known in which an image or the like is projected onto a relatively large screen from its rear side.
FIGS. 8 and 9 are a front view and a sectional view, respectively, of such a projection apparatus 100.
Referring to FIG. 9, the projection apparatus 100 includes an optical unit 140 for projecting an image or the like onto a screen 120, and a reflection plate 150 for reflecting the image or the like projected from the optical unit 140 toward a front panel 130. The image or the like reflected from the reflection plate 150 is projected onto the screen 120, and an user views the image via the front panel 130.
The screen 120 and the front panel 130 are held by a bezel body 160 serving as a casing shown in FIG. 8.
FIG. 10 is an end view showing the relationship between the screen 120 and the front panel 130 disposed on the front side thereof. Referring to FIG. 10, the screen 120 is composed of, for example, two members, and is fixed to the bezel body 160 by a fixture 2.
The front panel 130 is placed on the front side of the screen 120 with a fixed space therebetween. The front panel 130 serves to improve the contrast when illuminated by external light and to protect the screen 120, and is fixed to the bezel body 160 with an adhesive tape 5.
The front panel 130 and the bezel body 160 expand or contract due to the heat generated by the projection apparatus 100, changes in outside air temperature, or changes in humidity. The coefficients of expansion or contraction differ between the front panel 130 and the bezel body 160.
For this reason, the front panel 130 may be distorted or the adhesive tape 5 may be separated due to the difference in coefficient of expansion or contraction. This results in defects of the projection apparatus 100 itself.
In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a projection panel assembly in which the distortion or the like of a front panel due to expansion or contraction can be absorbed, a projection apparatus having the projection panel assembly, and a production method of the projection apparatus.
In order to achieve the above object, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a projection panel assembly mounted on a casing for holding a screen so as to mount a front panel on the front side of the screen, the projection panel assembly including a fixing portion for directly fixing the front panel, and a supporting portion for movably supporting the front panel via the fixing portion.
Since the projection panel assembly includes the fixing portion for directly fixing the front panel and the supporting portion for movably supporting the front panel via the fixing portion, even when the front panel or the casing deforms due to expansion or contraction, the deformation can be absorbed by the movement of the fixing portion in connection with the supporting portion.
Preferably, the supporting portion is fixed to the casing.
Since the supporting portion is fixed to the casing, the fixing portion and the front panel supported by the supporting portion are fixed to the casing via the supporting portion.
Preferably, the supporting portion is disposed so as to fix the screen to the casing.
Since the screen is fixed to the casing by the supporting portion, the fixing portion and the screen can be fixed to the casing by the single supporting portion.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a projection apparatus having a projection panel assembly mounted on a casing for holding a screen so as to mount a front panel on the front side of the screen, wherein the projection panel assembly includes a fixing portion for directly fixing the front panel, and a supporting portion for movably supporting the front panel via the fixing portion.
Since the projection apparatus includes the fixing portion for directly fixing the front panel and the supporting portion for movably supporting the front panel via the fixing portion, even when the front panel or the casing deforms due to expansion or contraction, the deformation can be absorbed by the movement of the fixing portion in connection with the supporting portion.
Preferably, the front panel has, on the inner light-source side thereof, a contact portion with which the fixing portion of the projection panel assembly is contacted, and a front panel center portion adjacent to the contact portion. The contact portion has no antireflective portion.
In this case, when the fixing portion of the projection panel assembly is fixed to the front panel, a sufficient adhesion can be ensured between the contact portion of the front panel and the fixing portion, and the fixing portion can be fixed firmly. This avoids problems, such as a weak fixing force, and improves the reliability of the projection apparatus. Furthermore, by forming the antireflective portion in the front panel center portion, the contrast of an image or the like on the screen is improved.
Preferably, a printed shading portion is formed so as to include at least the contact portion of the front panel.
In this case, the fixing state of the contact portion of the front panel to the fixing portion is prevented by the printed shading portion from being viewed from the outside. Therefore, the outward appearance is good, and this does not cause the user of the projection apparatus to feel unpleasant.
Preferably, an antireflective portion is formed on the entire viewing-side surface of the front panel.
Since the antireflective portion is formed on the entire viewing-side surface of the front panel, antireflective portions are formed on both the viewing-side and the light-source-side surfaces of the front panel center portion. This improves the contrast when illuminated by external light, compared with a case in which an antireflective portion is formed only on the light-source-side or viewing-side surface.
Preferably, the antireflective portion is formed of a film coated with an AR solvent.
In this case, in particular, the antireflective film can be precisely and easily formed on the portions of the front panel other than the contact portion.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a production method of a projection apparatus having a projection panel assembly mounted on a casing for holding a screen so as to mount a front panel on the outer viewing side of the screen, the production method including the steps of forming a projection panel assembly having a fixing portion for fixing the front panel, and a supporting portion for movably supporting the front panel via the fixing portion, forming a contact portion for contacting the fixing portion therewith on the inner light-source side of the front panel, forming a printed shading portion including at least the contact portion, forming an antireflective portion on the light-source side surface of the front panel except for the contact portion, and fixing the fixing portion to the contact portion so as to mount the front panel in the projection panel assembly.
In this case, since the supporting portion is fixed to the casing, the fixing portion and the front panel supported by the supporting portion are fixed to the casing via the supporting portion. The antireflective portion is formed on the front panel except for the contact portion. Therefore, the fixing portion of the projection panel assembly can be firmly fixed to the front panel because a sufficient adhesion is ensured between the contact portion of the front panel and the fixing portion. This does not cause problems, such as a weak fixing force, and improves the reliability of the projection apparatus. By forming the antireflective portion, the contrast of an image or the like on the screen when illuminated by external light can be improved.
Preferably, the production method further includes the step of forming an antireflective portion on the entire viewing-side surface of the front panel.
Preferably, the antireflective portion is formed of a film coated with an AR solvent.
Further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.